Chapter 3

Blake had been working on the sheikh’s house for two days. She didn’t have much time to come up with something grand for him. She hoped that he would like her sketches because if he didn’t, Michaela would blame her for losing a client. Michaela was always looking for more clients and more ways to expand their business. She was such a workaholic and a very strict manager.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. Blake rose from the sofa and rushed to the front door. She looked through the peephole to see who it was. She crossed her eyebrows when she saw that it was CJ. Blake wasn’t expecting her. She opened the door.

“CJ, what are you doing here?” she asked her.  

“I came to pick you up,” CJ answered as she walked into Blake’s apartment. She made her way to the living room. Blake shut the door and followed CJ. “I knew you would be working,” CJ said while looking at the sketches Blake had been working on.

“Well, the sheikh only gave me three days. So I have to keep on working.”

CJ picked up the sketches. “Wow, you did a good job with them,” she said.

“Thanks, I hope he agrees.” Blake sighed.

“Go get dressed.”

“Why?”

“We are going out tonight.” CJ smiled. She undid her trench coat and revealed a short red dress. Blake raised her eyebrows.

“You look nice. Where are you going?” She looked at CJ from head to toe. The red dress complemented her curvy figure.

“We are going to this new club called Rubies. Tonight is the opening night.”

Blake laughed. “I am not going clubbing,” she said.

“Oh come on! We can’t miss the opening night.” CJ rubbed her hands together and silently pleaded. 

“We have to work tomorrow.”

CJ narrowed her gaze at Blake. “You are twenty-six not forty-six. You can go out, have a good time and still make it to work tomorrow. You can survive on four hours of sleep,” she said. Blake shrugged her shoulders.

“Fine. I will go and get ready,” she said. She turned and left the room. She rushed upstairs and took a quick shower. When she was finished, she slipped into a thin-strapped, knee-length black dress and a pair of black high heels. She untied her hair and brushed it. She walked out of her bedroom and headed back to the living room.

CJ was sitting on the sofa eating strawberries. She turned and looked at Blake as she walked into the living room. “No lipstick?” she asked.

“I didn’t feel like wearing lipstick,” Blake replied. CJ fished some red lipstick out of her purse and handed it to Blake.

“Put some on,” she said to her. Blake shook her head as she took the lipstick from her.

“And put my strawberries back in the fridge.”

“They’re quite sweet.” CJ put another one in her mouth. Blake shook her head. Whenever CJ came over to her apartment, she always ate her food. She even found food that Blake had forgotten about.

“Happy now?” Blake pouted her lips at CJ.

“Yes!” CJ smiled as she rose to her feet. “Let’s go.”

They both took their purses and left. They took a taxi to the club. When they arrived, there was a long line. There were so many people trying to get in. Blake sighed. She hated long lines.

“Don’t sulk, I got our names on the guest list,” CJ said to Blake.

“Really?” Blake’s eyes widened.

“Of course.” CJ wiggled her eyebrows. She took Blake’s hand and led her to the club entrance. “Hi, our names should be on the guest list,” she said to the bouncer.

“What are your names?” he asked her.

“CJ and Blake.”

The tall, muscular man looked at the list. It took him a few seconds to find their names. He looked at the other bouncer and gave him a nod. The other bouncer lifted the barrier and let them in.

The club wasn’t as full as Blake thought it would be. It made her feel a lot better. She hated crowded places. The interior of the club was quite sophisticated. There were nice seating areas sectioned off. The décor was interesting and beautiful. The club was different from other clubs Blake had been to.

“Let’s get something to drink,” CJ said. Blake nodded and followed CJ to the bar. As they were heading to the bar, Blake saw a man sitting in the VIP area with a few other men and women. She gasped when she recognized him. She yanked CJ’s arm.

“Look!” she cried out in her ear. The music was a bit loud, so she had to shout.

“What?” CJ shouted back.

“It’s Bassem.” She pointed at the man in the wine-red long-sleeved top and black pants. CJ gasped and looked at Blake.

“It’s him! Let’s go say hi.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Blake hesitated but CJ grabbed her arm and led her towards the VIP area. Blake felt weird about running into Bassem in the club. When they reached the VIP area, Bassem looked up and made eye contact with Blake. She smiled and waved awkwardly. He waved her over. Blake climbed up the steps and then walked over to him. He gestured for her to sit down next to him.

“Hello, sheikh,” Blake shouted above the music. Bassem raised his perfectly shaped eyebrows. He looked rather surprised.

“Hi,” he replied.

“I did not expect to see you here.”

He smiled at her. “I didn’t expect to see you either,” he replied. He had such a beautiful smile and he smelled good.

“I finished the preliminary sketch. I hope that you like it,” she said to him.

“Let’s not talk business tonight. What would you like to drink?” he asked her.

“Um, I…” Blake was confused. He seemed different from when she had met him. He looked friendlier. “I will have a lemonade,” she said.

“A lemonade?” Bassem raised an eyebrow.

“I have work tomorrow.”

He smiled and nodded. CJ sat down next to Blake and waved at the sheikh. He smiled at her and asked what she wanted to drink. CJ asked for a shot. She was a little more free-spirited than Blake. Bassem waved a waiter over and ordered drinks for them.

As the night progressed, Bassem and Blake engaged in conversation. She found him easy and fun to talk to. At one point, he even leaned into her and told her that she looked good. Blake smiled and thanked him.

“Would you like to dance?” Bassem asked her.

“Me?” Blake asked him. Bassem nodded. He took her hand and helped her up to her feet.

As he started dancing, Blake felt very awkward. She was not good at dancing at all. She was so stiff and had no rhythm. Bassem on the other hand was very good at dancing. He had so much rhythm.

“You’re such a bad dancer,” he shouted to Blake. She laughed and shrugged her shoulders. It was the truth.

Bassem was such a gentleman the entire time. He kept a respectable distance as he danced with Blake and he did not try anything inappropriate. CJ was busy downing shots and dancing with Bassem’s friends. She was a much better dancer. She was having so much fun with his friends, you would think that they knew each other.

Blake and CJ ended up leaving the club after 2 a.m. Blake had come with the intention of leaving at midnight but she was having so much fun with Bassem that she had lost track of time. He had been kind and fun to be around. He ordered their drinks for them and when they were leaving, he paid their cab fare.

It had been an unexpected evening for Blake. It begun with her not wanting to go to the club but then she was glad she had gone. She had had a good time. Meeting Bassem was good. She hoped since they had broken the ice, it would make him easier to work with and that they would get along more in the future.